Power Duo

BOUCHERON CEO HELENE POULIT-DUQUESNE AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR CLAIRE CHOISNE ARE THE ONLY FEMALE DUO AT THE HELM OF A LEGENDARY JEWELLERY MAISON. HERE, WE FIND OUT WHAT THEY DO THAT SETS THE BRAND APART FROM THE OTHERS

- CAROLINE SUGANDA

Place Vendôme has attained iconic status as the world’s cradle of jewellery-making — the Paris address is home to all the established jewellery maisons, each deeply rooted in its own heritage and know-how, each with its own distinct style and way of storytelling. And at the helm of each maison is undeniably a discerning mind who truly understands the brand, and is able to steer it into the future.

The 165-year-old maison Boucheron boasts not one, but two, power women at the top. CEO Helene Poulit-Duquesne and creative director Claire Choisne are the only female duo at Place Vendôme. According to Poulit-Duquesne, this “allows for more empathetic leadership,” and she believes that this, along with generosity within the management style and its incorporation into the service offered to clients is what differentiates Boucheron from other maisons. Being women, the duo can personally attest to the wearability of their creations. “We always test out prototypes on ourselves before officially launching them,” says Poulit-Duquesne. “Not only to see whether something can be modified or improved, but also to ensure that the piece [is comfortable].”

Beyond that, however, Poulit-Duquesne and Choisne, who joined the house in 2015 and 2011 respectively, share the same vision for the maison. “Both Claire and I are very close, and we are obsessed by innovation and progress,” says Poulit-Duquesne. “But we also consider it our duty to respect the past and follow in founder Frederic Boucheron’s footsteps. It is our responsibility to maintain our position as the most stylish and cutting-edge French high jewellery maison by staying one step ahead and always innovating.”